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Living sustainably at home

While we now live in an ever increasingly environmentally conscious world, too few of us are putting genuine effort into living sustainably. If you’ve made the switch to an environmentally conscious way of living, you deserve a pat on the back. If you’re yet to make the switch, it’s never too late to begin living sustainably and swapping out those old habits. The best time to start living in a more sustainably is now—and your home is the perfect place to begin this change.

Install Solar Panels

Solar energy is no longer just an alternative source of electricity; it’s now an available and more affordable way to power your home. Over the past few years, solar panels have become increasingly more affordable (since 2011, the price of panels have been reduced by approximately 60%), thus making solar energy an attractive means to power your home. Companies such as A1 Battery Pro and Solar America can provide you with top-quality solar panels, or help you find a qualified installer, making the process of switching to solar and they take care of the installation process so your switch to solar stress-free.

Seriously consider installing solar panels if your home has good access to the sun (which should be the case as long as your home isn’t surrounded by tall buildings). To soak up as much sunlight as possible, mount the panels on a roof that’s facing south. A roof facing the north should never be considered since panels affixed this way will never get sufficient sunlight.

Installing solar panels is a serious investment when considering your energy reliance (if you haven’t already made the switch to solar) on dirty power stations and also your natural ability to generate a great deal of your own electricity. By making the switch to clean energy, you have the ability to seriously cut down on your household’s carbon footprint and also have the opportunity to save on rising power bills. Many governments and cities around the world offer solar rebates for those forward thinking households to make the switch so it’s certainly worth while investigating what assistance may be available to you.

Conserve water and electricity

Conservation of our aforementioned resources is one of the easiest and most obvious ways to live sustainably. Many people have switched to more ecologically sustainable habits in their homes however a few quick reminders can’t hurt to jog the memory.

Do you need the water running whilst you brush your teeth or do the dishes? Turn off the tap so you can save thousands of litres annually. Try making a habit of reusing water after you’ve done the dished to water the garden. You’ll quickly fall into the habit of saving on water and both your bills and the environment will be better off after the adoption of your new ways.

As for electricity, remember to turn off everything that you don’t need (lights, computers, fans, and the air-conditioning) when you leave the house so your reliance on power isn’t as great. Additionally, opting for energy-efficient appliances and gadgets (here’s a list) is recommended to cut down on your energy consumption right across the house. Solar-powered versions of common household appliances and gadgets are flooding the market so they certainly aren’t hard to find in local retailers. Ensure your appliances and gadgets are operating at peak efficiency through regular maintenance (eg, regularly defrosting the fridge). The operating manuals that come with appliances and gadgets provide information that will help you maintain and operate your appliances at their most efficient level.

Recycle

As with all homes, there’s a good chance that you’ve got unused items cluttering your house or the spare room that haven’t been touched for years. Have you considered how these unused items could be put to use elsewhere in the house if they weren’t out of sight and behind closed doors? If you have no use for them and friends and family aren’t interested in taking these items off your hands, consider sending them to an organisation that can put them to good use. It’s hard to throw things out that are still perfectly good to use so donating such items is always a great option. You can donate these unused items to an op shop or take them to the nearest recycling center (Volunteers of America welcomes donations). Recycling your items or sending them to an organisation that will put them to good use is much more satisfying than letting these unused items clutter your house or sit in landfill.

Change your home and your world for the better. Start living sustainably today!